Four Ways to Stay Motivated as you Create Your Dressage Musical Freestyle
Creating a musical freestyle takes time. You may begin the process all gung-ho and then find that your motivation lessens as time passes.
So far on your freestyle journey you have clarified your goals, decided on a course of action, gathered your resources, found your BPMs, and started the music search.
Whenever I feel a lack of inspiration I spend some time doing the following. I would love to know how you stay inspired. Please share in the comments below or with the Freestyle Facebook group.
Go to a Show
If you have the opportunity to attend a live event I think that it can help spark motivation. Even a local schooling show with one freestyle can motivate you. Watching a fellow rider in the ring, showing their finished freestyle is encouraging. Sometimes the lack of entries is also inspiring, it confirms the fact that creating freestyles is a lot of work and it means that your freestyle will stand out from the crowd.
Make plans to attend a big show if you live near high-profile showgrounds like Saugerties, NY or Tryon, NC. Are you making plans to attend the World Equestrian Games coming up this September (2018)? Regional and National Championship shows typically showcase the freestyles in the evening for the enjoyment of the audience.
Watch YouTube
This is by far the quickest way to get motivated and inspire new ideas. I have saved individual Playlists for each level, Training through Grand Prix, and would love your help to add more. If you want to inspire other riders please send it along. Click on the freestyle level you are interested in seeing, the link will take you to my YouTube playlist for that level.
If you have a video you would like me to add, please post the link in the comments below, email me at beginthedance@gmail.com, or post your video in the Freestyle Facebook Group. I would love to share your finished freestyle, it doesn't matter if you are starting out at Training level.
Browse Quotes
When I am feeling down I jump onto Pinterest and start searching for motivational quotes and sayings. There aren't that many quotes related to musical freestyle...believe me I know! That's why I have created my own using quotes related to dancing, music, and riding. Click here to browse my collection of quotes here on my website or you can follow my Dressage Musical Freestyle board on Pinterest.
Join a Community
Being a part of a group of like-minded riders is helpful to stay inspired and get encouragement. I started a Freestyle Facebook Group specifically for riders that want to ask questions, share their journey, and receive encouragement along the way. It is a positive group of ladies, many of them I know in "real life" too! Click here to join.
You can also join a few other Facebook groups called Musical Freestyle (Dressage Kur) and Musical Freestyle Dressage.
There are also two online forums that you can ask questions and interact with other members on the topics of musical freestyle. These are the two that I recommend, the Chronicle of the Horse Forum and the Definitely Dressage Observation Lounge Forum.
If you find any other fun, positive groups online please let me know in the comments below or email me at beginthedance@gmail.com. I hope this post helped you find some motivation to continue working on your freestyle. Don't worry, everyone gets stuck, I think it is basically a right of passage! When you are struggling through the third, even tenth edit of your freestyle music it can feel like it is taking forever! Good luck!
Download My Free Resources
Stay organized with my Musical Freestyle Checklist and begin sketching choreography with my Blank Arena Diagram Page.
Browse my Freestyle E-Book Store
Learn how to create a musical freestyle from start to finish or choose an e-Book with choreography ideas just for your level.
Click here to view all Freestyle e-Books.
This Ebook dives deeper into choreography, specifically for Second Level. It covers the required movements, offering a variety of ways to include them in your freestyle. It also includes TEN ready-to-ride freestyles that you can choose from - just add music!
NEW Version recently updated March 2022!
Use this eBook if you need to create choreography for your freestyle quickly and on a budget. This ebook includes:
10 Fully Choreographed Test Patterns! Just Add Music!
43 pages of unique choreography!
Blank arena diagram page for you to print and draw your own choreography
*** RULE CHANGES for 2019 *** Please note that the qualifying score to compete a musical freestyle has been changed from a 60% to a 63%! You also need to show at least one of your medium trot and canter on a STRAIGHT line. You may ride a medium trot/canter on a bending line for artistic marks but it will not count towards your technical score.
If you need help with the ENTIRE freestyle creation process check out my book The Ultimate Guide to Riding, Training, and Competing to Music.
Take a moment to join the Create Your Own Musical Freestyle Facebook Group where you can ask questions and share your freestyle videos to gain valuable feedback from a community of like-minded, creative equestrians!
Note: This is a DIGITAL product so you will not receive anything in the mail. After your purchase you will be taken to a page with the link to download the .pdf document. You will also receive an email with the same link. You will need Adobe Reader to view the .pdf document. Click here if you do not have Adobe.
The download link will only stay active for 24 hours (a security feature of this website). If you are unable to download the e-book within that time frame don’t worry, just send me an email at beginthedance@gmail.com and I will send you the file attached to the email so that you can download it at any time.
This is the Second Edition with a brand new look and unique pre-choreographed tests. If you need help designing your First Level musical freestyle, this e-book is meant for you. It reviews the required freestyle test movements, offering a variety of ways to perform them with your horse. It also includes TEN ready-to-ride freestyles that you can choose from - just add music!
You can also use this Ebook if you need to create a freestyle in a hurry or to move up to the next level.
This ebook includes:
10 Fully Choreographed Test Patterns
38 Pages of Choreography
Blank Arena Diagram Pages (for you to take notes and draw your own choreography)
Musical Freestyle Checklist
You can also join the Create Your Own Musical Freestyle Facebook Group where you can ask questions and share your freestyle videos to gain valuable feedback from a community of like-minded, creative equestrians!
Note: This is a DIGITAL product so you will not receive anything in the mail. After your purchase you will be taken to a page with the link to download the .pdf document. You will also receive an email with the same link. You will need Adobe Reader to view the .pdf document. Click here if you do not have Adobe.
The download link will only stay active for 24 hours (a security feature of this website). If you are unable to download the e-book within that time frame don’t worry, just send me an email at beginthedance@gmail.com and I will send you the file attached to the email so that you can download it at any time.
